


Reunion

by Willowanderer



Series: Gratuitous Reincarnation fics [13]
Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Gen, M/M, Reincarnation, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 02:11:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1492885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowanderer/pseuds/Willowanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Have you ever met someone and been sure that you'd known them before? Not only that, but that you missed them? Missed them like it was missing part of yourself?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

When Malik heard there was a courier in the front office, he immediately went on break, assuming it was Altaïr, and wanting to take a moment's conversation with him. They'd been exchanging texts occasionally, and had gone out on a proper date once, and met up for movie night a few times- though one the movie had been so bad they'd gotten drunk and Altaïr had read him poetry from his own books in a wide range of put on accents, and they'd laughed until they'd fallen asleep in a pile of cushions on the floor. Altaïr kissed him a great deal, which was hard to mind. In fact he had every intention of making another date with the express intention of doing a little more than kissing. It had been a long week so far, and it was only Wednesday. Besides, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd dreamed about Altaïr, and that was either a good sign or a bad one. 

The courier in the front office wasn't Altaïr, but he was wearing an armband from the same company, and he looked a little lost. Then he saw Malik and he looked both lost and found at the same instant. Malik felt the same way. His mouth moved for a moment before sound came out. 

The younger man managed first.  
“Brother.”   
“I..” his mouth tried to form the words 'I don't have a brother' but the brilliant, impossible blue of the other man's eyes stalled them out. Instead he found himself holding him, face pressed to his curls, stroking them with one hand while the other pressed him against him. The young man was crying, near silently into his neck. God, it hurt, but it hurt in a good way. He was just so glad.  
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you must think I'm insane.” the other man started to pull away, then pressed back against his shoulder. Which was alright because Malik wasn't ready to let go.  
“Uh... why are you hugging my rookie? I mean, am I witnessing second base, or is this some gang sign I'm not familiar with?” Altaïr pushed his hood back and scratched his head. He had left the kid he was training while he'd picked up the delivery. He hadn't expected this.   
“Are you insinuating we know each other because we're both dark skinned. Kind of racist, Altaïr.”  
“I can't be racist! I'm brown, damn it.”   
“Beige maybe.” Malik teased.   
“Quarter Cree, thanks. Anyhow, I figure you know each other because I sure as hell don't hug strangers like that.” He tactfully, for him, didn't mention the tears. “Besides, not to be racist again, 'cuz it isn't- but you're different browns. You're an Arab and he's black.”   
“That is completely... Wait, how'd you get the name Umar?”  
“We don't talk about how my mom left the army, okay?” he flapped a hand. “You gonna let go of him?”   
They looked at each other and finally let go.   
“Sorry, sir.”  
“What'd I tell you about calling me 'sir'?”  
“Not to?”   
“Good plan.” Malik looked back and forth between them. “You're training him?”  
“Yeah. Just as a part time job. He- wait. I wanna get back to the hugging.”  
“Have you ever met someone and just... felt like you knew them?” Malik asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not only that, but like you missed them for a long time? You just instantly...” he spread his hands, he couldn't explain it.   
“Maybe.” Altaïr looked away for an instant.   
“It's like he's my long lost brother.” the younger man tried to explain. “I haven't felt so... safe in years.”  
“Well if you're following Altaïr around, you're not safe now.” Malik muttered grouchily.   
“He's a great teacher. I'm already better than some of the others at the agency.”  
“But he's got you doing stupid things.”  
“Define stupid?”   
“You're sure you two have never met before?” Altaïr had followed their back and forth with vague amusement. “Anyhow, I'm not the one who keeps climbing things.”  
“That's because if you get over ten feet off the ground you start sweating. And you said the shortest point between two places is a straight line.”  
“Wait, the reason you're such a fast courier is because you do some sort of retarded parkour?”  
“It's not retarded.”  
“It is if you never get more than ten feet up. Kadar, don't listen to this idiot. He's going to get you killed.”   
“I promise I will take care of him like he's my own dearest baby brother.” Altaïr pledged seriously. “I will not let him get killed.”   
Malik considered this promise for a minute.   
“Fine, but I'm holding you to that. No more second chances.”  
“Hey, I can keep myself from getting killed.” Kadar protested. They ignored him.   
“Anyhow, I'm glad to see you, because I wanted to ask a favor.” Altaïr gave a small grin.  
“Great timing. I wanted to talk to you as well.”   
“Yeah, well, can I sleep on your couch for a while?”  
“I don't have a couch.”  
“Well can I sleep on your living room floor then?”  
“What happened to your apartment?”  
“Well it turns out when you get your landlord arrested for gross neglect of safety and health regulations, they don't let you keep living there or help you find a new place.”   
“Where are you sleeping now?”   
“In a storage unit, which is pretty empty since I lost a bunch of furniture that'd gotten infested. It's cheaper, but there's no shower. Please?”  
“Yeah, fine, but if Sable kills you in your sleep I'm taking pictures.” He realized that he'd put his arm around Kadar's shoulder, and removed it. Altaïr had been to his place often enough to know where it was, so he got Kadar's number instead, entering it into his phone. They'd talk later, and figure this out, some time when they didn't have jobs to get back to. But for now, it was enough to know they'd found each other- that somehow he had a brother.   
They hugged again, but this time it wasn't as desperate. But it didn't feel weird. 

It was hard to walk away though, but he had to.   
“Altaïr.” Kadar said after a moment, when they were back on their way.  
“What is it?”  
“When did you tell him my name?”   
“Well what's his?”  
“Malik... but you must have said that at some point!” the college student pretested. “I mean, you were talking about this guy you knew earlier today... and that you were gonna ask to stay at his place.”   
“I don't think I did.” Altaïr thought back.  
“Weird.”  
“Oh and discovering a brother you never had isn't?”   
Kadar laughed. “Fair enough. C'mon, let's go this way.”   
“Oh hell no. First off, that's an outside stair, and secondly, you are being treated with the kiddest of gloves- at least until I can find a new apartment.”   
“Oh really? Well first you have to catch me.” Kadar snatched the envelope from Altaïr and dashed away, daring him to follow.   
“Hey treat me with respect!” Altaïr complained, and steeled himself, stepping out. They weren't that high up here. He put his hand on the banister as Kadar clattered down the stairs. Barely over two stories... two stories weren't much more than one; he'd climbed fences that high. He thought about falling and put his foot on the first step.

He found himself on the sidewalk, slightly out of breath and staring up at the way he'd come. His body had acted on it's own, launching him over the railing and skidding down. Kadar came around the edge of the stairs, and was looking at him with admiration.   
“Why don't you do that more?” he demanded. “That was awesome, and I only caught the end of it.”   
Altaïr swallowed and looked back up, then suddenly started to smile. It had felt... kind of like flying.  
“Well if I did, how would I impress you?” he demanded, and patted his bag. “C'mon, we have work to do.”   
“... I thought you were staying at the YMCA.”   
“... shhhh.”

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote this one a while ago, and it's been sitting around finished, but I wanted to finish the story with Ezio and Leonardo before I posted it. In retrospect, fuck those two, they were annoying.


End file.
